MLB All-Star Snubs; These 4 Players Were Disrespected by Voters

By: Nick LaPorte, 6/22/2019

The MLB All-Star Game lets the fans vote in the starters for each league. As a result, undeserving players sometimes get in and it leaves better, more deserving players off the team. The fan vote only affects the starters, and the managers usually get the right guys in as reserves. But the fan vote can have a ripple effect.  This season, the voting has a new wrinkle: the top 3 in votes at each position (and top 9 in outfielders) advance to the next round of voting.  The first round is complete, which you can see here.

Some of the game’s very best players headline this list: Mike Trout leads all outfielders, Cody Bellinger and Christian Yelich made the cut in the NL.  Angels fans showed up for Tommy La Stella, and both leagues have the right catchers advancing.  But there are some head-scratchers; some players that probably shouldn’t be in the top-3 at their position.  If someone who isn’t worthy jumps into the starting lineup, it pushes the best guy back a spot, and it may push another better player off the team altogether. That is the danger for these 4 players, who are all more than worthy of making the team.

NL

Anthony Rendon, 3B, Nationals

For the 4th straight year, Rendon has been one of the best players in the NL. Rendon, usually a slow starter, is off to his best season thus far in his career. Rendon has collected 3.2 WAR, tied with Nolan Arenado for the league lead at third base. Rendon and Arenado have been a class above the field; there is no doubt both should make the team. Arenado leads the fan vote, which is perfectly fine, but Rendon trails Kris Bryant (Cubs) and Josh Donaldson (Braves). Bryant has a case, at 2.8 WAR on the division-leader Cubs. But Donaldson, like teammate Ozzie Albies, is in this vote because the fans of Atlanta come out in droves. There is no category in which Donaldson comes close to Rendon.

This is the year for Rendon to finally make the team. He has consistently been a top-5 player in the NL since 2016. His power has taken off, crushing 17 homers in only 60 games. Compare that to slugger Arenado, who has 18 in 73 games. Rendon’s wRC+ of 166 is far and away the best in the NL at this position, and is 3rd overall in the NL in that category. Rendon’s also a defensive guru, with all the talent of Arenado at the hot corner. Arenado will make the all-star team because of the fans. But the fans have done a disservice to Rendon once again.

Paul DeJong, SS, Cardinals

This season has been a breakout campaign for DeJong, who leads NL shortstops in WAR with 3.2. He’s been a better offensive and defensive player than Javier Baez of the Cubs, who leads this category in votes. This is similar to the Rendon problem; you can argue that Baez is deserving over DeJong. You can even argue Trevor Story of the Rockies is deserving, as he trails only DeJong in WAR. But Dansby Swanson of the Braves should not have made the top-3 in voting. Swanson is 8th among NL shortstops, and simply put, is nowhere near DeJong’s level.

Voters usually go with a more well-known name, and Swanson (a top pick out of college) plays for a team in a big media market. The fact is, the Braves fans are doing a bad job by voting for their own guys. I understand supporting your team. But you are actively voting for worse players. Do not vote for Swanson over DeJong, and do not vote Donaldson over Rendon. There is no argument to be made; DeJong and Rendon should be all-stars. It’s as simple as that. Hopefully the managers don’t make the wrong decision when it comes time to pick reserves.

AL

Xander Bogaerts, SS, Red Sox

This one is cut and dry, as Bogaerts has been the best shortstop in baseball. At 3.5 WAR, Bogaerts is actually 2nd in the AL and 4th in baseball. Carlos Correa of the Astros is 8th in WAR for AL shortstops, but somehow leads the field in votes. Astros fans always show up during the fan vote, but Correa isn’t even close to being an all-star this year. If he makes the team it’ll be a bad look for baseball. He’s a good player but he is not even close to Bogaerts’ level in 2019. Jorge Polanco of the Twins and Gleyber Torres of the Yankees both have strong cases. Polanco and Torres could both be all-stars. But as reserves, not starters, because Bogaerts is the clear best shortstop in baseball this year.

The Red Sox sit in contention right now, and much of that is due to Bogaerts. He has been their best player this season, and has gone up a level entirely. Bogaerts is hitting .300 with 14 homers, which is a strong development for him. As a younger player he hit for a high average with less power. He sacrificed some average from 2017-2018, and hit 20+ home runs for the first time last year. Now, it seems, Bogaerts has put it all together. He’s hitting for average while keeping that power, and his 141 wRC+ is a career high. There is no scenario in which Bogaerts is not an all-star. The choice is clear.

Max Kepler, OF, Twins

The first-place Twins have an outfielder in contention for the All-Star voting, but it’s the wrong one. Eddie Rosario, 25th in AL WAR for outfielders, has made the cut. Max Kepler, 3rd in AL WAR for outfielders, is absent from the list. One problem on this list is that Josh Reddick, the 4th best outfielder on the Astros, has made the final 9 in the voting. That is ridiculous. Also Aaron Judge of the Yankees, who has played in just 20 games, made the cut. I understand Astros and Yankees fans like their own players. But neither of those 2 guys have been all-star caliber in 2019.

Kepler deserves better. He trails only Mike Trout and Joey Gallo in WAR for outfielders. He has been a breakout star for the division-leading Twins. Max Kepler has hit 19 home runs and has 50 RBIs, both of which should be enough to make the team. Kepler is also a good defender, and carries a good 137 wRC+. If the managers don’t choose Kepler as a reserve, then they will have made a mistake. The fans have already let him down; now our only hope is that the managers make the right call.

Byron Buxton of the Twins and Pete Alonso of the Mets also have strong cases to be All-Stars, but I chose the 4 other players because their individual cases are stronger. Rendon, DeJong, Bogaerts, and Kepler should be on the All-Star teams. The fan vote has failed them. Hopefully the managers don’t.